Mike Ridaught
There’s a new No. 1 in The Prep Zone Power Poll.
West Nassau (Callahan), which is currently ranked third in Class 3A by MaxPreps and No. 11 overall in Florida, is off to a 4-0 start.
They moved up three spots to take over the top spot of the all-classification regional rankings after previous No. 1 Eustis lost a pair of games.
The Warriors, who lost at eventual 3A state semifinalist Episcopal (Jacksonville), 4-3, in last year’s Region 1-3A semifinals, posted wins against previous No. 5 Ridgeview (Orange Park), 5-0, and previous No. 14 Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville), 8-7, in eight innings.
They received five of the eight first-place votes.
The defending Class 4A state champion Panthers (5-2) dropped one spot to second.
Eustis, which received one first-place vote, lost 2-1 to South Lake (Groveland), which moved up six spots to No. 12 from No. 18, and they lost to 7A Apopka. They also have a win against current No. 6 University (Orange City).
Hernando (Brooksville) remained third.
The Class 4A state runner-up Leopards are currently 5-0 and ranked fifth in Class 3A by MaxPreps. They received the other two first-place votes.
Class 4A state semifinalist Ridgeview (4-1) moved up a spot to No. 4, while Baldwin made the biggest move in the rankings, jumping 12 spots and into the top five at No. 5.
The Class 3A Indians (6-0) have wins against current No. 8 Oakleaf (Orange Park), 4-1, and 6-3 against previous No. 6 Baker County (Glen St. Mary). The 4A region finalists dropped out of the rankings following a 1-4 start.
Class 6A University, which advanced to last year’s 7A state semifinals, is ranked sixth, followed by 1A Dixie County (Cross City) (6-1), 7A Oakleaf (2-1), 7A Creekside (St. Johns) (5-2), and Class 1A state semifinalist Branford (7-1) and Class 1A No. 1 Union County (Lake Butler), who are tied for at No. 10.
The tenth-ranked Tigers, who were 6-0 entering the week, have been one of the biggest surprises. They made the second largest move in the poll, going from receiving votes (RV) in the preseason poll to No. 10.
On March 4, Union County scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to rally past defending 1A state champion Trenton, 13-12, and stay unbeaten. They also beat RV Santa Fe (Alachua) on March 8.
Branford is tied with Union County at No. 10. The Buccaneers (7-1) have scored in double digits in five of their first eight games and are ranked fourth in Class 1A by MaxPreps. Their only setback this season came in a 3-1 loss to RV Fort White on March 1.
Trenton (2-3), which was ranked seventh in the preseason poll, dropped out of the rankings.
Palatka (7-0), ranked fifth in Class 3A by MaxPreps, is in the rankings for the first time at No. 15.
Williston (5-0), which is ranked second in Class 1A and had a 12-10 win against Dixie County, moved into the rankings at No. 16, along with 6A Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (6-1) at No. 18, and 7A West Port (Ocala) (8-1) at No. 19.
The Prep Zone Power Poll ranks the top 20 high school football, girls volleyball, girls basketball, boys basketball, softball & baseball teams (regardless of FHSAA classification) across 26 counties in North Florida (Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Citrus, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hernando, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Levy, Madison, Marion, Nassau, Putnam, Sumter, St. Johns, Suwannee, Taylor, Union & Volusia counties). It is voted on weekly by sportswriters and sportscasters and it is powered by Anytime Fitness of Gainesville.
THE PREP ZONE POWER POLL – 2022 SOFTBALL POLL #2
(School, followed by classification, first-place votes, record through 3/13, and total voting points)
1. West Nassau (Callahan) (3A) (5) (4-0) – 157
2. Eustis (4A) (1) (5-2) – 147
3. Hernando (Brooksville) (3A) (2) (5-0) – 138
4. Ridgeview (Orange Park) (5A) (4-1) – 126
5. Baldwin (3A) (6-0) – 108
6. University (Orange City) (6A) (4-3) – 107
7. Dixie County (Cross City) (1A) (6-1) – 93
8. Oakleaf (Orange Park) (7A) (2-1) – 84
9. Creekside (St. Johns) (7A) (5-2) – 74
10T. Union County (Lake Butler) (1A) (6-0) – 54
10T. Branford (1A) (7-1) – 54
12. South Lake (Groveland) (5A) (4-3) – 53
13. Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (7A) (4-0) – 50
14. East Ridge (Clermont) (6A) (4-2) – 45
15. Palatka (3A) (7-0) – 36
16. Williston (1A) (5-0) – 35
17. Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville) (2A) (2-2) – 34
18. Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (6A) (6-1) – 33
19. West Port (Ocala) (7A) (8-1) – 29
20. Nature Coast Tech (Brooksville) (4A) (4-1) – 27
Also receiving votes: Middleburg (5A) (5-2) – 26; Matanzas (Palm Coast) (4A) (4-0) – 26; Montverde Academy (3A) (7-1) – 26; Mount Dora Christian Academy (2A) (6-2) – 24; Deltona (4A) (3-0) – 17; Fort White (1A) (3-2) – 13; Episcopal (Jacksonville) (3A) (1-2) – 12; Trenton (1A) (1) (2-3) – 10; University Christian (Jacksonville) (2A) (2-2) – 10; Clay (Green Cove Springs) (4A) (4-3) – 9; Providence (Jacksonville) (3A) (3-2) – 8; First Coast (Jacksonville) (6A) (4-1) – 6; Santa Fe (Alachua) (3A) (6-3) – 5; South Sumter (Bushnell) (3A) (5-1) – 4.